Who is the god of wealth among the Greeks? He is not alone with them. Ancient Greek mythology is striking in its versatility. It combines the morality, ethical principles and culture of many European peoples. Mythology is distinguished by special thinking, the study of the world and the place of man in it. For help in all endeavors, the ancient Greeks turned to powerful deities, directing them on the right path and giving them good luck in everything. Who are the gods of wealth among the Greeks? It is about them that the article will be discussed.
Attitude to wealth in ancient Greece
In ancient Greece, they were skeptical of wealth: it was believed that making money was much easier than earning a good name and fame. In ancient Greek mythology, there are often cases when a poor person from the people prevailed over a rich aristocracy, which did not have authority and respect among the Greeks. Before Greece became an economically developed state, priority was given to the non-material areas: medicine, philosophy, science and sport.
Later, agriculture, craft and trade began to actively develop. It was then that the ancient Greek gods of wealth, fertility and trade came to the forefront of the pantheon: Demeter, Mercury, Hermes and Plutos.
At first, the ancient Greeks grew crops, but with the development of trade, this became a non-profitable occupation, and the enterprising people began to trade in crops that Greece is rich in - olive oil and grapes. Along with the development of trade, the Greek gods of money began to appear.
In parallel, the slave system developed: slaves were a commodity, their labor was used in craft.
The god of wealth among the Greeks is Plutos. With his appearance, the concept of "money" becomes popular. They were treated with respect and tried to preserve every coin. Each policy made its own money, and trade stretched far beyond Greece. Traveling intermediaries were wandering colonies, traces of which were found in the Black Sea, not far from present-day Sevastopol, Kerch and Feodosia.
With the development of the economy, resellers appeared, changing money among policies. They made interest rates, lent and accepted deposits. Huge amounts of money were collected from the bankers, and they had the opportunity to earn money on re-purchase.
As mentioned earlier, the first goddess related to enrichment was Demeter.
Demeter
Demeter is one of the most influential and respected goddesses in Greece. This is the goddess of wealth and fertility. In her honor, celebrations and honors were held throughout Greece, especially during the months of sowing and harvesting. It is believed that without the assistance and will of Demeter there will be no harvest: the farmers turned to her for help and blessing for crops, and women asked for fertility and the ability to bear a child. An interesting feature is that Homer paid very little attention to this goddess: she almost always remained in the shadow of even less powerful gods. Based on this, it can be concluded that in the early years other methods of enrichment prevailed in Greece, and agriculture came to the fore much later, displacing livestock farming. The location of the goddess promised the farmer related weather conditions and a rich harvest.
According to legend, Demeter was the first to plow the land and sow grain in it. The Greeks, who witnessed this, were sure that the grains would deteriorate in the ground, but after some time the crop rose. Demeter taught people how to care for crops and to grow grain, and later gave them other crops.
Adventure of Demeter
Demeter is the daughter of Kronos and Rhea, the only girl in the family. Her brothers are the powerful Hades, Poseidon and Zeus. Demeter had a strange relationship with her brothers: she did not like Poseidon, and Aida completely hated. With Zeus, Demeter had a marriage that gave her daughter Persephone.
Demeter and Persephone - the ancient Greek gods of wealth and fertility
Persephone took over the baton of her mother and became the goddess of fertility and agriculture. Demeter was very fond of her only golden-haired daughter and transferred her her wisdom. She answered mother in return.
Once an incredible grief happened that crippled Demeter: her daughter was kidnapped. Did this the god of the underworld Hades, brother of Demeter. The permission for this was given by Zeus himself, who promised his brother his daughter as a wife.
Unsuspecting Persephone walked with her friends in green meadows, and here she was kidnapped by a future husband. He hid the girl deep underground, and a heartbroken mother wandered around the earth, looking for her. Demeter did not eat or drink for several months, productive pastures dried up, and her daughter did not appear. Zeus told Demeter about the contract, but she refused to share her beloved daughter with her brother, whom she hated since childhood.
Zeus asked Hades to return his mother’s daughter, but he agreed with one condition: Persephone would spend two-thirds of the year fertility with her mother, and for one-third of the year she would go down to the underworld, swallowing a pomegranate seed before that. Thus, the ancient Greeks explained the change of seasons and sowing.
Demeter and Triptolem
Triptolem is also the god of wealth among the ancient Greeks. Once the fertility goddess decided to give the gift to the son of Tsar Eleusis - Triptolemus. She taught him to plow the land, cultivate it, and gave seeds for sowing. The triptolem three times plowed the fertile paradise lands and threw wheat grains in them.
After some time, the earth brought a rich harvest, which Demeter herself blessed. She gave Triptolemus a handful of grain and a magical chariot that could move through the sky. She asked her mentor to step around the world, educating people in agriculture and distributing fertile grains. He complied with the instructions of the goddess and moved forward.
Everywhere the god of wealth visited (in Greek mythology it is described that way) in his chariot, fields with a rich harvest stretched. Until he arrived at Scythia, to King Lynch. The king decided to take all the grains and glory of Triptolemus to himself, killing him in a dream. Demeter could not allow the death of her assistant and came to his aid, turning Lynch into a lynx. He escaped into the forest, and soon soon left Scythia altogether, and the god of money and wealth among the Greeks - Triptolemus - continued on his way, teaching people agriculture and agriculture.
Plutos
The ancient Greek god of wealth Plutos is the son of Demeter and the titan Jasion. According to myths, the lovers of Demeter and Jason surrendered to the temptation on the island of Crete and conceived Plutos in a thrice-plowed field. Seeing a couple in love, Zeus was furious and incinerated Plutos's father with lightning. The upbringing of the boy was done by the goddesses of the world and chance - Eiren and Tyche.
It is believed that Plutos, the god of wealth, was blind and gifted people arbitrarily, not paying attention to their external data or status in society. Those gifted by Plutos received unprecedented wealth. Blinded the god Jupiter, who was afraid that Plutos would be unjust and biased in the distribution of wealth. Therefore, luck in material terms can overtake both bad and good people.
In the art of the god of wealth, they depict a baby with a cornucopia in his hands. More often than not, the goddess of fortune or the goddess of the world holds the baby in her arms.
Most often, the name of Plutos is associated with Demeter and Persephone. He accompanies and helps everyone to whom the goddess of fertility is supportive.
The Greek god of wealth Plutos introduced the concept of "good." People began to take good care of material wealth: save money and increase it. Previously, the Greeks did not attach much importance to material values, they were not worried about beautification and living standards.
Comedy "Plutos"
The comedy was written and directed by the ancient Greek comedian Aristophanes. In it, the Greek god of wealth Plutos is depicted as a blind old man, unable to distribute wealth correctly. He gives gifts to dishonest and vile people, because of which he himself loses all his wealth.
On the way, Plutos comes across a resident of Athens, who returns his sight. The God of wealth sees again, and this helps him to justly reward people according to their merits. Pluto becomes rich again and regains the respect of the people.
Plutos in the Divine Comedy
Plutos, the god of wealth in Greek mythology, was portrayed in the poem "The Divine Comedy", which was written in 1321 by Dante Alighieri. He was the gatekeeper in the fourth circle of hell and had the appearance of a beast-like demon. He guarded the circle of hell, on which there were merchants, wasters and greedy souls.
Plutocracy
In honor of the god of wealth, one of the political regimes was named plutocracy. The term was introduced at the end of the 19th century and characterizes the form of government in which government decisions are made not by the will of the majority (by the people), but by a small group of oligarchic clans in the shadows. This state is governed primarily by money, and a legitimately elected government is completely subordinate to wealthy clans.
Plutos and Pluto: the ancient Greek gods of money, wealth and abundance
At some point in ancient Greek mythology two deities were identified: Pluto (god of the underworld) and Plutos (god of wealth and abundance). This is explained by the fact that Hades has countless riches stored deep underground. There are also many myths uniting these gods.
According to more ancient myths, Hades is the brother of the mother of Plutus, Demeter, therefore he has an uncle. But later myths claimed that it was one deity. This is confirmed by the consonance of their names: Pluto and Pluto.
Cornucopia
This is a symbol of endless wealth, derived from the myths of ancient Greece. The horn belongs to the goat Amalfey, who nourished her little Zeus, who was hiding from her father Kronos on the island of Crete.
There is another legend about its origin. Hercules turned the horn to the river god during the battle. He showed mercy and returned the horn to its owner. He did not remain in debt and gave the world a cornucopia filled with wealth.
In art, this symbol is depicted upside down, through a hole in which various fruits erupt: fruits and vegetables, sometimes coins. Most often, the cornucopia is held in the hands of the Greek god of wealth, Plutos. Some sculptures with this symbol depict the goddess of justice - Themis.
In ancient Greece, coins with the image of the cornucopia on the reverse side were minted. This was to attract new money and help keep their property.
In the Middle Ages, the cornucopia was transformed into the Holy Grail, which is the source of eternal life and wealth.
Mercury (Hermes)
Mercury is the god of wealth, trade, and the patron saint of thieves. He is depicted in a helmet and sandals with wings, a conciliatory baton and with a bag filled with gold coins.
The god of wealth from the Greeks, Mercury was borrowed by the Romans from the Greeks after their conquest. In ancient Greece, Mercury was called Hermes. Initially, it was the god of livestock and cattle breeding. In the days of Homer, he became an intermediary between the gods. It was then that he received wings on his sandals and helmet to move quickly, performing various tasks. He also had a conciliatory stick of gold, with which he resolved conflicts and disputes.
With the development of agriculture, he became the patron of bread and grain, and later, when market relations were actively developing, the god of trade and the patron of merchants. He was contacted for help in reselling, trading, and exchanging goods.
It is believed that it was Hermes, the Greek god of wealth, who gave the Greeks numbers and taught them to count. Prior to this, people paid by eye, not attaching much importance to the amount of money.
Later, Hermes became the patron saint of thieves: he was depicted with a purse in his hands or with his hands tied next to Apollo - a hint of theft.
When the Romans conquered Greece, they borrowed the god Hermes, renaming it Mercury. They had it the god of prosperity, enrichment, trade and profit.
Nowadays, the image of Mercury can be found on the emblems of banks, large trading companies and auction exchanges.
King Midas and Gold
In ancient Greek mythology, Midas was king of Phrygia. From childhood, he knew that he would be a rich and influential person: all signs of fate pointed to this to him. Even small ants brought grains and put them in his mouth.
Once in the possession of Midas fell Silenus - the teacher of Dionysus. He lost his way in the forest when Dionysus led his army through Phrygia. King Midas saw this and poured wine into streams running through the forest. Silenus drank water mixed with wine, and immediately became intoxicated. Unable to get out of the forest, he wandered around it for a long time, until Midas met him and took him to Dionysus.
Happy Dionysus invited Midas to make any wish. He wished a “golden touch”: so that everything touched by his hand would become golden.
Dionysus obeyed the king’s desire, and he arranged a magnificent celebration, laying the table with various drinks and dishes. But at the table, he realized that he would die of thirst and hunger, because the food and drinks in his hands became gold.
The king rushed to Dionysus with a request to deprive him of his gift, and he ordered him to bathe in the Paktol River. Midas lost the ability to turn everything into gold, and after that the river became golden.
Nowadays, the expression “touch of Midas” means the ability to quickly earn money “out of thin air” and be successful in all endeavors.
Kairos
Kairos is a revered deity of the ancient Greeks. He was the patron of chance - a happy instant that can give good luck and prosperity if you grab it in time. He is always somewhere near Chronos, the patron saint of the sequence of time. But unlike Chronos Kratos it is very difficult to meet and catch: it appears only for a second and instantly disappears.
The Greeks believed that Kairos could point them to a happy moment in which luck smiles at them, and the gods will be supportive in all endeavors.
God silently and quickly moves among ordinary mortals, to face him face to face is a great rarity and luck. At this moment, the main thing is not to get confused, grab Kairos by a long forelock and ask fate for everything you want. To miss a chance is a great sin, as it is given only once in a lifetime.
Kairos is depicted as a young man with wings behind him and in sandals. On his head is a long golden curl, which you can try to grab. In the hands of Kairos - scales, which indicates that he is fair and sends good luck to those who work hard and wish success.
Tyuche
In ancient Greek mythology, this is the goddess of fortune, a happy fate and the patroness of chance. Tyuche is the daughter of the ocean and Tetia (mother of the gods and patroness of all rivers).
Tyuhe became a cult deity when faith in gods and their abilities shook among ordinary people. The ancient Greeks believed that Tyuche accompanies people from birth and throughout their lives. Many cities considered Tuche their patroness, her image was minted on coins, and her statues adorned houses.
They depicted a goddess in a crown and with basic attributes: a wheel (symbolizing the variability of luck, hence the expression "wheel of fortune") and a cornucopia. Often Tyuche holds in his hands the little Plutos - the god of wealth, whom she raised on the island of Crete in secret from his father Zeus.
Fortune
When the Romans conquered Greece, they took over the goddess Tyuche, calling her Fortune. This is the goddess of good luck, happiness, prosperity and success.
According to mythology, Fortune threw off her wings, having arrived in Rome, and promised to stay there forever. Over time, the cult of Fortune rapidly developed, eclipsing the other gods. She was thanked for the luck sent, and even for the setbacks and grief. She was also called the Firstborn, Happy, Good and Merciful. All babies and newborns were dedicated to her, her touch determined the future fate of man.
Later, when the moral and ethical foundations began to gradually collapse, the goddess Fortune became the patroness of the hearth, love and family happiness in both women and men.
Fortune adorned Roman coins, and in art it was depicted as a woman with a cornucopia on her shoulder, from which wealth is thrown - fruits, vegetables and gold. Sometimes she held a chariot in her hands or stood on the bow of a ship. This symbolized the variability of fate.
Many Greek gods of wealth and fortune still live in mythology. Is there any truth to this, or is myth always a myth? Everyone has their own opinion on this matter. In any case, it is interesting and informative.